Detachable self-centering cleats for athletic shoes



June 28, 1932. w. r. CLARK 1,364,713

DETACHABLE SELF CENTERING CLEATS FOR ATHLETIC SHOES Filed April 25, 1931 INVENTOR.

M'Zliam T (in rk ATTORNEY.

Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES WILLIAM T. CLARK, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN DETAGHAB LE SELF-CENTERING GLEA'IS FOR ATHLETIC SHOES Application filed April 25, 1931. Serial lid-532,790.

The present invention relates to cleats designed to be secured in a manner permitting their ready attachment and disconnection upon the soles of the shoes worn by players engaged in various athletic exercises.

.The said invention comprises a plate designed forpermanent attachment to the sole of the shoe, such plate being constructed conveniently as a circular, peripherally threaded disc, against and upon the outer side of which a. cleat'is held by a locking ring. The cleat is shown as a truncated cone. The locking ring is provided with a constricted and tapering opening at one side to engage the base of the tapering cleat in the region of its largest diameter. The said ring is threaded interiorly of the enlarged opening at its other side for engagement with the peripherally threaded plate, so that the cleat is firmly held in position with its bottom resting upon the exposed side of the plate, when the locking ring is engaged with the threads of the plate and tightened thereon.

The plate referred to is provided upon its outer or exposed side with a plurality of radial projections or ribs, which preferably decrease in height from the margin of the plate toward the plane at the center thereof, to produce a depression or recess which is defined by said ribs. The cleat itself is provided upon its bottom with a corresponding number of radial slits or kerfs, decreasing in depth from theperiphery at the base of the cleat, and terminating short of the center thereof, so as to provide a solid center which rests in the depression or recess before referred to as formed upon the outer face of the plate.

The tapering embossments or ribs on the outer side of the plate are straddled by the corresponding tapering slits or kerfs in the bottom of the cleat, in such manner that when the cleat is positioned upon the plate with the ribs and slits in register, the cleat will automatically position itself in true contom side of the sole of the shoe.

centric relation to the base. When so positioned, the locking ring with its constricted opening at one side, when screwed onto the threaded plate, Wlll embrace the base of the cleat and hold the same firmly in position- 7 upon the'plate, and prevent the accidental m rotation, or other shifting of the position of the cleat. V

Having thus outlined the nature and purposes of my invention, I will now describe the u same in detail, and will point out the novelty on the line 22, 4, showing details of" the formation of the cleat.

3 is a plan view of the cleat and its looking ring, andshowing a part of the sole of the shoe upon which they are positioned.

Fig. 4 is a view of the cleat, looking to .ward the bottom thereof.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the outer face of the plate, and showing a part of the-sole of the shoe to which it is attached; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the plate, onthe line 66, Fig. 5.

In the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates the sole of a shoe, and the numeral 11 one of a plural number of circular plates or discs:

which are permanently attached to the bot- Any suitable means, such as olench nails 12, passed through perforations in the plate 11, through the sole 10, with their points returned and 1 buried at the inside of the sole, to preserve a flush surface upon the latter, may be used to fix the plate in position upon the sole 10.

The circular plate 11 is peripherally threaded as at13, and is provided on its out-;.

er side with a plurality of radial embossments or ribs 1 1, the latter rising above the normal surface plane of the plate from a point at or near its margin, and terminating short of the center thereof, so as to leave a considerable area which forms a central depression or recess, bounded by the embossments or ribs 14.

The perforations through which the nails 12 are to be passed, may be located at any suitable points in the plate or disc, but I have shown the said perforations as being located in part in the embossments or ribs 14:, whereby a better anchorage of the plate 11 is secured upon the sole of the shoe, inthat the area of contact between the nails and the plate is increased, and the tendency to bend or shear thenails is reduced. 7 V I, v

I have illustrated the cleat 15 in the form of a truncated cone, which form permits utilization of the feature of an outward enlargem'ent of the base of the cleat, this being desirable in order that the cleat may be engaged at its base by the constricted and tapering part of the opening at one side of the locking ring 16, as hereinafter will be described. Although the conical formation of the cleat lends itself to economical manufacture, this particular form is not wholly essential, for any form of cleat having a circumferential enlargement at its'base which will permit engag'ement of the locking ring therewith in the manner herein described, will be within the scope of my invention.

-- The embossments or ribs 14: are equally spaced from each other, and are adapted to enter the radial slits or kerf's 17, formed in the bottom of the cleat, and likewise equally spaced from each other. When the cleat is positioned upon the plate, the tapering surfaces of the embossments or ribs and the tapering bottoms of the slits or kerfs, riding over each other, will automatically cause the cleat to be centrally positioned with relation to the plate and with the bottom of the cleat restin on the face of the plate 11 and in the normal plane thereof. In passing the locking ring 16 over the cleat, the restricted and tapering opening at the outer side of the looking ring will come into engagement with the tapering base of the cleat, at the time that the larger threaded opening at the other side of the cleat is engaged with the peripherally threaded plate 11.

The locking ring 16 may be notched on its periphery for the accommodation of a spanner wrench, by means of which the ring may be turned to lock the cleat firmly in position upon the plate, so that any tendency of the cleat toward accidental rotation, and thus loosen the locking ring, is avoided. The interruption of the normal plane surfaces of the plate and the bottom of the cleat, by reason 'of the'presence of the embossments or ribs and the slits or kerfs, involves a comparatively small part of the area of the meeting plane surfaces so that the contact of the bottom cleat with the plate is substantially that of its whole area.

If the perforations in the plate 11 for the accommodation of the nails 12, are to be made in the embossments or ribs 14, it is desirable that the said embossments or ribs 14: be widened somewhat, as at 18, and that the slits or kerfs 17 in the base of the cleat 15, be correspondingly widened, as at 19.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is?

1. In a detachable shoe cleat, a cleat support adapted to be permanently attached to the sole of a shoe, a cleat enlarged in diameter at its base,a locking ring engaging both the cleat and the cleat support to hold the cleat upon its support, and means between the support and the cleat to position the cleat in relation to its support and prevent rotation 2. In a detachable shoe cleat, a threaded plate for fixed attachment to the sole e f-a shoe, a cleat enlarged indiameter-atits base, a locking ring engaging the base of the cleat and having a threaded engagement with the said plate to holdthe cleat upon the plate, and means between the plate and thecle'at to position the cleat in relation to the plate and prevent its rotation.

3. In a detachable shoe cleat, a peripherally threaded plate'for fixed attachmentt'oithe sole of a shoe, a cleat enlarged in diameter at its base, a locking ring engaging the base of the cleat and having a threaded'engagement with the periphery of the said plateto hold the cleat upon the plate, and means between the plate and the cleat to position the cleat in relation to the plate and prevent its rotation. a V

4. In a detachable shoe cleat, a peripheral ly threaded plate for fixed attachment to the sole of a shoe, a tapering ClQMETQHlM'gBd'iII diameter at its base, a locking ring having a constricted openingforengaging the base of the cleat and having a threadedengagement with the said plate to hold the cleat upon the plate, and means between the plate and the cleat to position the cleat in relation to the plate and prevent its rotation. i

5. In a detachable shoe cleat, a peripherally threaded plate for fixed attachment to: the sole of a shoe, a cleat enlarged in diameter at its base, a locking ring engaging theba'se 'of k the cleat and having a threaded engagement with the said plate to hold the cleat uponthe plate, and means between the plate and the cleat to position the cleat in relation to the plate and prevent its rotation, su'chu'neans, comprising radial embossments or ribs-on" one of the parts, and co-operating radial slits 'or kerfs on the other part. I

6. In a detachable shoe cleat, afperipheral- 1y threaded plate for fixed attachment to the.

sole of a shoe, a cleat enlargedin aiametsfi at its base, a locking ring engaging the base of the cleat and having a threaded engagement with the said plate to hold the cleat upon the plate, and means between the plate and the cleat to position the cleat in relation to the plate and prevent its rotation, such means comprising radial embossments or ribs tapering toward the center of the plate and co-operating radial slits or kerfs tapering toward the center of the bottom of the cleat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name at Milwaukee, this 6th day of April,

WM. T. CLARK. 

